Telecommunications contracting, the landscape has changed

Telecommunications contracting, the landscape has changed

I remember the good old days in the mid 90’s when Telecom was booming! Job orders abounded and candidates outranked each other. I was lucky enough to be assigned as a Telecom Recruiter with one of the largest staffing companies in the world after college.

Telecom was not the most attractive division and line of business for a recruiting and personnel sales executive back then and I can’t say much has changed. In many ways, this is a good thing! One of the best ways to succeed in Staffing is to gain a foothold. Learn about an industry and segment the subcategories within. Become an authority figure.

I dove into the IT staffing market a few years ago, and as much as I tried to enjoy this activity, I couldn’t find the passion. Without a doubt, IT recruiting is a lucrative business model, and many recruiters and sales executives have had incredible success. It just wasn’t for me. Competition was fierce, opportunities seemed saturated, and our service offering was one of many.

Oh Telecom, I just can’t leave you!

Returning to telecom recruiting, I realized that the landscape and technology has changed dramatically. You see, back in the hay days, I was the king of PBXs! If my clients needed an SL1 Meridian technician or a NEC 2400 engineer, I was the one.

Commonly used terms back then included:

-Switch Technician

-cable puller

-Key Systems Technician

-Central Office Technician

-OSP Engineer

-Engineer/NOC Manager

While some of these terms and technologies still exist, it is no longer the demand or flavor of the day.

WIRELESS…

I am quickly learning that Wireless is the here and now. I feel like a 24-year-old boy starting the business again. I am learning a lot about the wireless industry, trends, skill sets, and emerging technologies. It’s incredibly exciting to be back.

Today, to speak the jargon of wireless telecommunications, one must become familiar with these few terms:

-YOU GIVE

-small cell

-Return

-LTE

-UMTS

Everything I’m reading and learning in conversations with wireless industry experts points to growth and dollar signs over the next 5+ years. It’s exciting to be part of some kind of renaissance within an industry made up of genuine people. My best relationships have always developed within the Telecom vertical.

Telecom, you can talk about us, but you can’t talk without us!

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